Bonus Day

This year we get a bonus day.  It happens every four years.  Today is Leap Day.  One of the fun things about this day is that if this is your birthday, instead of saying how old you are, you can instead state how many birthdays.  For example, on your tenth birthday you would be forty years old!

 

Some folks use this extra day to do something special, and I think that's a great idea.  How about a day of extra kindness or a day where you give back to your community?  A day of volunteering is another good idea, or a day spent helping raise money for charity.  I wrote yesterday about how good it feels to give back, and what better time to do it than this extra day!

 

Of course you can also use it to rest and relax and enjoy something you might not otherwise do.  Go see a show or go dancing or out to dinner.  A quick one-day road trip is another idea.  Actually the ideas can be endless. 

 

So how will YOU spend this bonus day?  Let's hear some of your ideas!

Is there anything more wonderful than a hug?

Let me ask you a question.  Is there anything more wonderful than a hug?  Two people put their arms around one another and closely hold each other.  Sometimes it's quick and sometimes each holds on a long time.  It feels good.  It gives you a sense of security.

 

Mom always loved hugging and she was especially happy when she met someone who was comfortable giving a nice big bear hug.  I guess I follow in her footsteps, because I sure love a nice big hug too!  Who doesn't?  A nice a sincere hug with no expectation of anything further can give you a big lift!

At the hospital where I volunteer, a woman said the other day "I could sure use a hug."  You should have seen the smile on her face when I turned around and gave her one!

 

I read once that a sincere hug that lasts longer than twenty seconds can release feel-good chemicals in the brain and elevate the mood of both the giver and receiver. Sorry, but I don't recall the source of that, but even if it isn't accurate, hugging feels good and who can argue with that?

Who are you?

For the past twelve years now, I wake up in the morning, and before doing many other things, I sit down with my tablet or my laptop and say a few things here. We have a counter that tell how many people visit the page and the number is fairly steady with big spikes when we write about someone or something that every search engine directs you to.

 

Who comes here?  I actually have no idea!  The counter shows numbers only.  It also shows search engine referrals, so I can see that someone came from a facebook hyperlink for example, or from a bing or a google search of a keyword I may have used.  It doesn't say who was referred though.  Even more important - I have no idea if my words were actually read, only that someone came to this page.

 

I only mention this because it is nice to know if you are making an impact.  Sometimes it can help with your direction.  So, who are you?  Please let me know from time to time.  You don't have to give your name, but an occasional comment (you can use the comments section below) helps a lot.  Are any of my ideas any good?  Should I go in a different direction?  Is there an individual or an organization that I should tell people about?  Pour a second cup of coffee, and let me know!